heroes - tv review

Since I've been lax in reviewing the new fall television shows, I'll start off with a bang and take you straight to the best of the bunch. The best new show? Well, that's easy. NBC's Heroes. Don't believe me? Here's a quote from my co-worker, Steve:

God, this show is so good. I'm all in.

See, I told you. It's THAT good.

Premise:

Think X-Men, the early years. The story focuses on a very diverse group of folks with super powers who are just discovering their new talents. They come from very different walks of life -- a cheerleader, a single mom, a Japanese office worker, a politician, a nurse, a police officer, a drug-addicted artist -- but are brought together, whether by coincidence or fate, for a larger purpose. How large? How about "saving the world" large. Would that be something that would interest you?

What's Good:

The storyline, which is as intriguing as the first season of Lost. You're left trying to piece together all of the clues as each episode unfolds to try to make sense of this universe of characters. What powers do these people possess? How will they all find each other? Who will use their powers for good? Who will use their powers for evil? How will they save the world? Why does the little blonde girl wear her cheerleading outfit 90% of the time? There is not a single show that I look forward to watching as much as Heroes from week to week. Yes, this includes the aforementioned Lost.

What's Bad:

The fun of Heroes is the mystery behind how these super folks identify and unite against a common evil. The problem is, once they actually do unite and vanquish this evil, will the show become the Justice League of America? Who wants to see a group of superheroes in tights fight evil week after week? Boo for that.

Breakout Character:

Hiro, the Japanese office worker who learns that he has the power to manipulate time and space, is a comic-book junkie. He's hip to the fact he has special gifts and he takes to heart the Peter Parker mantra that with great power comes great responsibility. The tongue in cheek way his character is written, pairing his naivete with his true belief that he was meant for bigger things, is fun to watch. Way more fun than seeing Ali Larter take herself too seriously for the 20,321th time.

Overall Recommendation:

Watch it. Watch it now. Need to catch up? They have recaps on NBC.com, as well as full episodes on iTunes.

UPDATE: There will be a Heroes marathon on NBC this Sunday to watch all the episodes of the season so far. TiVo it or something, won't you?

On the Salinger scale, where a party of five is the highest rating, Bailey, Claudia, Charlie, and Julia get invited to dinner.

4 Salingers

Heroes airs Mondays at 9pm on NBC